Man arrested after shooting at homes and residents near Houston

A man has been arrested after allegedly firing a rifle at people and homes in a neighborhood northeast of Houston, injuring a 17-year-old teen, according to officials. Initial reports that multiple people had been shot were later found to be inaccurate.

The incident happened on Saturday evening in Kings Colony, a neighborhood in East Montgomery County near Roman Forest, about 30 miles northeast of Houston. Deputies and other law enforcement officers responded after several 911 callers reported gunfire and multiple victims.

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) said the confrontation began as an altercation between 60-year-old Juan Ayala-Montero and 17-year-old Uziel Samano. The teen suffered a gunshot wound and was treated and released from a local hospital.

After the altercation, the 60-year-old suspect began pointing his firearm at multiple people in the neighborhood and fired numerous rounds in different directions, according to the sheriff’s office. Officials said that about 31 fired shell casings were recovered from the scene.

Witnesses tried to de-escalate the situation and persuade the suspect to drop the weapon, but he continued firing, officials said.

When a large law enforcement presence arrived, Ayala-Montero retreated into his home and barricaded himself inside. He surrendered after the MCSO SWAT team arrived and was taken into custody without further incident.

Footage released by the sheriff’s office showed Ayala-Montero holding a rifle as he argued with a neighbor who was recording him. In the video, Ayala-Montero points the rifle toward the neighbor and fires once, though the sheriff’s office said the round did not strike anyone.

Ayala-Montero was booked into the Montgomery County Jail on a charge of felony deadly conduct by discharging a firearm. His bond was set at $80,000.

The sheriff’s office said Ayala-Montero has a criminal history, has previously been deported from the United States and has a federal ICE detainer in place.

Initial 911 calls reported multiple victims, but officials later determined that only Samano had been shot, according to the sheriff’s office. Samano was also charged with false report to a peace officer, a misdemeanor, after investigators said the information he initially gave to law enforcement was untruthful and hindered the investigation.